Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (adenosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate, “cAMP” or “cyclic AMP”) is known as an intracellular second messenger, which is intermediated by a first messenger (hormone, neurotransmitter or autacoid) and the cellar responses. The first messenger stimulates the enzyme responsible for synthesis of cAMP, and then the cAMP intervenes in many functions such as metabolic, contractile or secretory. The effect of cAMP end when it is degraded by cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases, in particular phosphosiesterase-4 (PDE4 or PDE-IV), which is specific for cAMP. PDE-IV have been identified in many tissues including the central nervous systems, the heart, vascular smooth muscle, airway smooth muscle, myeloid lines, lymphoid, and the like. Evaluation of cAMP level by using the PDE-IV inhibitor would produce beneficial effect on inappropriate activation of airway smooth muscle and a wide variety of inflammatory cells.
A major concern with the use of PDE-IV inhibitors is the side effect of emesis which has been observed for several candidate compounds as described in C. Burnouf et al., (Ann. Rep. In Med. Chem., 33:91–109(1998)). Burnouf describe the wide variation of the severity of the undesirable side effects exhibited by various compounds.
Some condensed heterocyclic derivatives having the inhibitory activity of PDE-IV have been known, for example in WO03/016279, WO03/018579, WO03/000679 and the like. However, there remains a need for novel compounds that inhibit PDE-IV with minimal side effects. Although some pyrrolopyridazine derivatives having the inhibitory activity of hydroxymethylglutaryl (HMG) CoA reductase have been known, for example, in WO91/18903, pyrrolopyridazine derivatives having the inhibitory activity of PDE-IV have not been known.